[StBernard] Dell to recall 4.1 million laptop batteries

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Tue Aug 15 01:55:54 EDT 2006


Dell to recall 4.1 million laptop batteries
Devices' lithium-ion batteries could overheat and possibly catch fire
Reuters


Updated: 7:03 p.m. CT Aug 14, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO - Dell Inc., the world's largest personal computer maker, said
Monday it would recall 4.1 million notebook computer batteries with cells
made by Sony Corp., the largest recall in Dell's history.

Dell said it issued the recall in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission because the devices' lithium-ion batteries could overheat
and, in rare cases, produce smoke and catch fire, Dell spokesman Jess
Blackburn said.

The recall of batteries in Dell notebooks sold from April 2004 through last
month spans the company's assortment of Latitude, Inspiron and Precision
models, Blackburn said.

Blackburn also said that the recall would have no "material impact" on Round
Rock, Texas,-based Dell. Officials from Sony Energy Devices Corp. of Japan,
which made the cells, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The recall involves 18 percent of Dell's 22 million notebook computers sold
during the period from April 2004 to July 2006. It comes three days before
Dell is scheduled to report its fiscal second quarter earnings.

The batteries are Dell-branded but contain Sony battery cells, the spokesman
said.

Dell has received six reports of batteries overheating, causing damage to
furniture and personal belongings, the Consumer Product Safety Commission in
Washington reported. No injuries have been reported, the commission said.

Shares of Dell were down 24 cents, or 1.1 percent, at $21.00 in extended
trading.

Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior
written consent of Reuters.
URL: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14350403/


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